Monday 30 March 2009

Good Weather 4 Ducks








Sunday 29 March 2009

Jay Graydon & Randy Goodrum


pix:Denise Marie Luko



Dear Mr. Serique,
my apologies for this unsolicited e-mail, but I just noticed that you like STEELY DAN and thought that you might be interested in checking out the latest album by JaR (Jay Graydon and Randy Goodrum www.jarzone.com) - SCENE 29, which has a similar style to STEELY DAN, albeit totally their own.

I represent JAY GRAYDON - a music industry veteran, internationally renowned, with many hits over the years. He is a Los Angeles top songwriter, recording artist, guitarist, producer, arranger, engineer, and more - twice Grammy awarded with 12 top five Grammy finalist nominations, among them are for instance the winning R&B songs AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE (also nominated SONG OF THE YEAR) and TURN YOUR LOVE AROUND and the nominations for e.g. the prestigious title "Producer of the Year" as well as a Grammy top five finalist nomination for "Best Engineered Recording". More info at www.jaygraydon.com

Jay recently teamed up with highly acclaimed songwriter, hit maker, lifelong friend and colleague - RANDY GOODRUM (Nashville, TN) and they are now working together as the new supergroup - JaR http://www.jarzone.com/. Their first album as JaR - SCENE 29 - released Oct. 1, 2008, is a melodic masterpiece with songs across the board - a mixture of JAZZ, POP, R&B, AC and AOR. At this point they are busy writing new material for the second JaR album.

Jay and Randy are covering all the instruments and vocals, all the composing, performing, engineering, mixing; in other words the full production work. The musical concept is totally new, yet slightly familiar to anyone into the Steely Dan sound, as the songs build on a similar formula with complex jazz-influenced chord structures, that are pleasant to the ear with unexpected musical twists, as well as apt, fun and innovative lyrics.

Sound bites available here http://cdbaby.com/cd/jarzone

Video available here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65f35iPO0zc


The album is getting raving reviews. A few quotes from other musicians after having listened to the songs on this new album:


"You guys have taken the torch from Steely Dan and have run miles and miles ahead" - Steve Lukather
---

"JaR's new album, Scene 29, is gonna' be one of those albums that you can gauge your "I'm Hip" quotient by how much earlier you've heard it than your friends. I think this album will eventually be considered the flagship of the new music. The new music is what is created after the "suits" gave up on the "biz". Anyway, I've known these guys for years and I had no idea that this stuff was in there. Well, now it's out here and we're all happy about it. Man, it's rare to play an album and still have your heart racing an hour later, especially someone else's album. Good work, guys." - Bill Champlin
---

"Finally some great vocalists and fantastic musicians doing incredible songs. What a welcome sight in todays music scene. There's nothing like it anywhere out there. Thanks guys." - Bobby Kimball
---

"I use to compare everything recorded in the past 20 years to Donald Fagen's "The Nightfly". Now there's a new industry standard for music, and it's called ... "JaR"! Jay's astounding guitar wizardry and Randy's stunning keyboard prowess is the crux of a project filled with brilliant complex harmonic compositions, ear candy smooth vocal performances, and thick transparent sounding mixes. This is soon to be "legendary" recording!" - Tom Hemby


In closing I thank you for your time and hope you will find this info interesting.

Sincerely,
Kerstin - Personal Assistant/Webmaster to Jay Graydon / Senior VP of Sonic Thrust Records
www.jaygraydon.com
www.jaygraydon.net
www.myspace.com/jaygraydon
sonicthrustrecords@yahoo.com
www.jarzone.com
Info@jarzonerecords.com
www.myspace.com/jarzone

-------------
A brief overview on JAY GRAYDON's career:
Being a first call studio guitarist for nearly 3 decades, he has so many interesting stories and educational stuff to share from the late 60s in the recording studios, e.g. during the glorious Motown era in the heyday of quality music releases, leading on to how people work in the studios in this era.

Jay Graydon was known to have the first pedal board used in the LA studios and between the late 60s and the late 70s Jay played on practically every "A" list session in Los Angeles, acquiring a glowing reputation as an ace studio guitarist/solo specialist on numerous albums with all the major artists of the era; Miracles, Marvin Gaye, Supremes, Diana Ross, The Jackson Five, Four Tops, Syreeta, Eddie Kendricks, Barbara Streisand, Dolly Parton, Cheap Trick, Christopher Cross, Ray Charles, Cher, Joe Cocker, Hall & Oates, Olivia Newton-John, and Albert King just to name a few.

On account of Jay's very long experience as a musician as well as being a top rated Grammy nominated recording engineer, he has been called in as a consultant/beta tester of music gear a number of times by leading music equipment developers, such as LINE 6, ERNIE BALL, NEVE, PLANET WAVES, RIVERA, ADAT recorders and many other Alesis products. He has been using vintage synths dating back to the early 70s and been doing the samples for the Alesis HR 16B, SR 16, D4, Alesis Quadra and more.

Jay Graydon was e.g. hired as consultant for the ALESIS MASTERLINK and his Bebop album www.cdbaby.com/cd/jaygraydon01 came about when needing to beta test the ALESIS M20 Pro ADAT format. Since a pro digital recorder format of the era, Jay decided it was best to record a real band that included a wide range of frequencies (upper frequency information such as cymbals) and dynamics as to note how the "analog to digital/digital to analog converters" sounded. www.jaygraydon.com/beboptxt.htm

HB dude







Saturday 28 March 2009

Sebastião Tapajós

Some two weeks ago I was with Sebastião Tapajos in front of my place when his family was walking around, others were playing basketball, kids on the playground or watching dolphins and contemplating the Tapajos river at sunset.
Our friendship started when I was a teenager. He comes from a family resulted from Moroccan Sephardic Jews and cabocos, with great music talents.
My ex-brother in law was his cousin twice removed. He also had developed some small projects with Flavio Serique English School (former Cultura Inglesa).
We used to see each other most occasionally and mutual esteem kept us going.
In the occasion mentioned above I dropped him a draft of my book after sharing with him a few chapters. I got really happy when he suggested to make a composition behind the words of my favorite chapter that describes a boat trip from Santarem to Surucua, my birthplace isolated from Santarem an 8-hour journey.
His latest work, a double album reasoned my first visit to his place in a set of three door knocks.
Third visit to him which lasted a whole afternoon was for dropping him copies of a work he pays tribute to the Tapajos National Forest, a 600.000He. My mother’s family had lived for more than half a century and currently I lead visitors to and run the Jungle Marathon.
Any pomposity that his home would bear was overshadowed by simplicity and clearly he minded more his garden composed of vegetables, medicinal plants and fruiting trees than his clean pool.
He told me about some events in his music career that I had only read or heard from other friends and media.
At his studio ornamented by posters, family and friends photographs disputing limited rooms with CD, LP, books and instrumental relics in dim light, he played and eventually presented Amazon Solos that include a composition inspired in the Amazon Floodplain, the topic of my next writings.
He never minded my camera flash focusing everywhere neither my curiosity that was tuned to his books and LPs.
Musica Popular Brasileira (English version) written by Claus Schreiner, his manager for decades, is not there anymore. It will be after I read it; the same to Darcy by Vera Brant, his friend who shared her life with intellectuals and good and bad Brazilians leaders. At the kitchen, coffee and cheese added more flavor and scent to the chat.
He is probably the only caboco who has more references in the internet that I do. Google him for more and enjoy his music if you like pure, non-commercial Brazilian music, rarely produced today. On his Orkut community, created in time by one of his most selected fan, you can learn more and be part of the pack.
Below you can see some of the shots of this pleasant afternoon we had together. A out of date discography is at the bottom as well, just like some words by Vicente Fonseca about Sebastião Tapajos' latest album.











Sebastião Tapajós - Discografia
(Sebastião Tapajós Pena Marcião)



• Violão e Tapajós (1967) Philips LP
• Bienvenido (1973) Tapajós LP
• Guitarra Fantástica (1974) RCA (Alemanha) LP
• Guitarra Latina (1975) LP
• Terra (1976) LP
• Clássicos da América do Sul (1977) LP
• Guitarra & amigos (1977) LP
• Xingu (1979) LP
• Violão & amigos (1979) RCA Victor LP
• Sincopando/Zimbo Trio convida Sebastião Tapajós. Sebastião Tapajós e Zimbo Trio (1982) Clam LP
• Guitarra criolla (1982) RCA Victor LP
• Todos os sons. Maurício Einhorn & Sebastião Tapajós (1984) Barclay/Ariola LP
• Visões do Nordeste (1986) L'Art Prod./Independente LP, CD
• Painel (1986) Visom LP
• Villa-Lobos (1987) L'Art LP
• Lado a lado. Gilson Peranzzetta e Sebastião Tapajós (1988) Visom LP, CD
• Brasilidade. Sebastião Tapajós e João Cortez (1989) Visom LP
• Terra Brasis (1989) L'Art LP
• Reflections. Gilson Peranzzetta e Sebastião Tapajós (1990) CD
• Instrumental no CCBB. Sebastião Tapajós, Gilson Peranzzetta, Maurício Einhorn e Paulinho Nogueira (1993) Tom Brasil CD
• Encontro de Solistas (1993) Movieplay CD
• Amazônia brasileira. Sebastião Tapajós e Nilson Chaves (1997) Outros Brasis CD
• Afinidades. Sebastião Tapajós e Gilson Peranzzetta (1997) Movieplay CD
• Ontem e sempre (1997) Movieplay CD
• Da minha terra. Jane Duboc e Sebastião Tapajós (1998) Jam Music CD
• Sebastião Tapajós interpreta Radamés Gnattali e Guerra-Peixe (1998) Independente CD
• Encontro com a Saudade (1998) Independente CD
• Lembrando Dilermando Reis, Bahamas (1999) CD
• Do meu gosto. Sebastião Tapajós e Gilson Peranzzetta (1999) Independente CD
• Instrumental Caboclo (1999) Independente CD
• Solos da Amazônia (2000) Independente CD
• Solos (2000) Independente CD
• Acorde violão (2000) Universidade Estácio de Sá CD
• Do Meu Gosto (2001) Independente CD
• Solos do Brasil (2001) Independente CD
• Choros e Valsas do Pará (2002) Independente CD

Coletânea:
• Virtuoso. Sebastião Tapajós (1997) Visom CD


Vicente Malheiros da Fonseca – magistrado e compositor

Santarém produziu três gênios da música brasileira, com os quais tive o privilégio de conviver: Rachel Peluso (1908-2005), Wilson Fonseca – maestro Isoca (1912-2002) e Sebastião Tapajós (1944-), violonista excepcional, que voltou a residir na terra querida, de onde administra a sua agenda musical.
Embora nascidos na mesma cidade, os três músicos santarenos jamais estiveram reunidos num mesmo evento musical. Confesso que cheguei a imaginar um encontro artístico entre meu pai, minha professora de piano e meu amigo Sebastião, na Pérola do Tapajós. O destino, porém, traçou caminhos próprios para a trajetória desses santarenos ilustres. Isoca permaneceu na terra querida. Rachel Peluso, ainda jovem, transferiu-se para São Paulo. E Sebastião Tapajós, que morou por vários anos no Rio de Janeiro, tem percorrido o mundo, encantando platéias com o seu violão virtuoso.
Sebastião acaba de gravar o CD Cordas do Tapajós, cujo lançamento ocorre no Theatro da Paz (9 de julho). O ingresso para o show dá direito ao CD duplo, um instrumental e outro cantado. Tapajós se faz acompanhar de outros músicos, como Moacir Santos, ao violão, Djalma do Cavaco e a cantora Kaila Silva.
O violonista santareno, consagrado em âmbito nacional e internacional, é formado pelo Conservatório Nacional de Música de Lisboa e fez curso de violão em Madrid com Emílio Pujol. Diplomou-se pelo Instituto de Cultura Hispânica. Ganhou inúmeros prêmios, como o Grande Prêmio do Disco do Ano da Alemanha de 1982 e o Melhor Músico Brasileiro de 1992. Gravou dezenas de discos e é considerado pela crítica internacional um dos melhores instrumentistas do mundo. Realizou várias turnês de sucesso pelos cinco continentes e participou de incontáveis eventos musicais em diversos países.


CORDAS DO TAPAJÓS_2
Em 1959, na comemoração do Jubileu de Prata do Centro Recreativo de Santarém, Wilson Fonseca organizou uma sessão lítero-musical. Na ocasião, com 11 anos de idade, eu toquei piano solo e piano a 4 mãos, com meu pai e meus irmãos Conceição (8 anos) e Agostinho (6 anos). No recital, o jovem Sebastião Marcião (hoje, Tapajós), em brilhante participação, tocou uma peça de Dilermano Reis, conhecido violonista brasileiro. Então, fomos parceiros musicais, no saudoso tempo de juventude em Santarém. Quando Sebastião passou por Boa Vista-RR, onde eu residia, em 1980, convidei-o para almoçar em casa. Depois do almoço, gravei um show particular que ele nos proporcionou ao violão, que guardo com carinho. Até cantei a Canção de Minha Saudade (Nunca vi praias tão belas...), acompanhado, ao violão, pelo genial Sabá. Em 2002, estávamos novamente juntos no Encontro com Maestro Isoca, no Art Doce Hall, em Belém, ele com o seu magnífico violão e eu, no piano, no recital, idealizado por Glória Caputo, na execução de músicas de meu pai, com participação de vários artistas, inclusive familiares de Isoca, a última homenagem, em vida, ao maestro santareno, na capital paraense, do que resultou na edição de um CD, com a presença de Tapajós.
O CD Cordas do Tapajós, uma realização do Sesc Pará, prestigia compositores amazônicos. Além de composições do próprio Sebastião Tapajós, há peças de Moacir Santos, de Avelino Valle e de Wilson Fonseca (Pérola do Tapajós, valsa, 1935, de parceria com Pedro Santos e letra de Felisbelo Sussuarana; Canção de Minha Saudade, 1949, letra de Wilmar Fonseca; Um Poema de Amor, bolero, 1953; e Terra Querida, canção, 1961). Simplesmente imperdível.

"CORDAS DO TAPAJÓS" - artigo publicado no jornal "O Liberal", edição de 08.07.2008 (Belém-PA)

Monday 23 March 2009

On the River

On the River
A campainha toca duas vezes e a marcha ré é acionada ao entardecer. Ela toca uma vez mais separando uma seqüência de três conjuntos crescentes de bleings.

The bell tolls twice and rear gear is set at dusk. It rings once more and separates a sequence of three crescent sets of bleings.
Farewell atmosphere is broken by hooking hammocks, knot shows, “-How is the weather?” and “– What did I forget?”

A atmosfera de despedida é rompida pelo atar das redes, shows de nós, - Como tá o tempo? e _ O que devo ter esquecido?
During the day time they were visitors and customers under the moonshine they are passengers again.

Durante o dia eles eram visitantes e negociantes, sob o brilho da lua são passageiros de novo.

With the city lights fading out behind, Mars is spotted; stars turn into constellations like your thoughts into plans. Now in your hammock, meditations are interrupted by a nap, dreams begin to shape, nightmares too.

Com as luzes da cidade desaparecendo ao fundo Marte é apontado. As estrelas se transformam em constelações como seus pensamentos em planos. Na rede, meditações são interrompidas por um cochilo: Sonhos começam a tomar forma, pesadelos também.

Captain contemplates the Milk Way and pin points some stars and planets that his burnt eyes still can spot to his only crew who asks without giving too much attention to a shooting star that falls.

O capitão contempla a via láctea e aponta algumas estrelas e planetas que seus olhos já queimados podem mirar ao seu único tripulante que pergunta sem dar muita atenção a uma estrela cadente que risca o céu.

-Do you believe in Cobra Grande?
- O senhor acredita em cobra grande?

- Sure! Don’t you? The sailor was responded.
- Claro! Voce não? O tripulante é respondido.

Without expressing he had shared his superior’s thoughts he asks in more need of an answer.

Sem mostrar que tinha concordado com seu superior ele pergunta novamente com mais necessidade de uma resposta.

Do you believe in Demons and E.Ts?
- O senhor também acredita em demônios e extraterrestres?

The third time the captain was going to respond positive to his second question was interrupted by a paper ball tossed into his miniscule cabin. He bends to get it with precision to see it was colored purple like on the apple he had given to a long-time wished- prey now part of the pack of passengers.

A terceira vez que o capitão ia responder positivo a mesma questão foi interrompida por uma bola de papel atirada em sua minúscula cabine. Ele se curva e apanha com precisão e vê que era de cor púrpura, como o da maçã que ele tinha dado a uma presa de longas datas e que agora fazia parte do bando de passageiros.

- The fish bit the bait. He murmured.
- O peixe mordeu a isca. Ele fala pra si mesmo.

Without giving any chance to the sailor say “Please Don´t” the master single-pats him on the shoulder and disappears into many bodies suspended in a familiar labyrinth of hammocks.

Sem dar a mínima chance pro seu marinheiro dizer – Pelo amor de Deus não. O mestre dá um tapa no seu ombro e desaparece entre muitos corpos suspensos num labirinto familiar de redes.

- I knew all this existed and there is got to be a lot more out there.
- Eu também sei que tudo isso existe e deve haver muito mais.
The sailor says like he had any companionship left with in a fearful frame.
O marinheiro diz como se lhe tivesse sobrado alguma companhia, emoldurado pelo panico.

Moving like an inquisitive otter the captain spots a red hammock with the help of his weak torch. He crawls by postponing his destination and at the stern notices the stars are being obscured by black clouds slashed by bright lightning bolts.

Com os movimentos de uma ariranha curiosa o capitão localiza uma rede avermelhada com a ajuda de sua lanterna já fraca. Ele passa engatinhando e na popa percebe que as estrelas estão sendo encobertas por nuvens escuras chicoteadas por relâmpagos.

With myths into reality, the sailor holds the cricking helm like he does his bow and arrow at aim.
He shares the imminent reality with a new comer to both be terrified with the Apocalypse now.

Com mitos em realidade, o marinheiro segura o timão como se fosse seu arco durante a mira.
A realidade iminente é dividida com um recém-chegado e ambos ficam apavorados com o quadro apocalíptico.

Like in a wasp attack, he avoids the multitude of hammocks to find the sea man smelling his dead pray. Without any persuading attempt the terrified passenger grabs and drags the captain to his original position like a herd of peccaries under chase.

Como num ataque de cabas, ele evita uma multidão de redes e encontra o capitão cheirando sua presa fresca. Sem qualquer tentativa persuasiva o passageiro em pânico segura e arrasta o capitão como um bando de queixada, a sua posição original.
The engine noise mixes with cries, prayers and the sharp and fast noise of the water pump working together with the sailor as one.

O barulho do motor se mistura a gritos de desespero, orações e o estridente ruído da bomba d’água que trabalha com o marinheiro como se fosse um só.

The captain had gone well in the last three huge waves. The howling winds blowing from behind unbalances the boat that drops in a vacuum. Desperate words and cries crashes against splashing water as the pump silences little by little.

O capitão tinha se saído bem nas ultimas tres ondas grandes. O vento que soprava detrás desequilibra o barco que cai num vacum. Palavras de desespero se chocam com a água enquanto a bomba silencia-se aos poucos.

I feel my fainted-like body being carried effortless up stairs. Dogs bark when I am being carefully placed in a hammock. At dawn break roosters don’t bother me metallic noise and joyful morning greetings with the scent of fresh hot coffee do.

Eu sinto meu corpo sendo carregado sem esforço subindo a escada. Cachorros latem enquanto sou gentilmente posto numa rede. De madrugada o canto dos galos não me perturba, mas o som metálico dos talheres e saudações de alegria da manhã com o cheiro de café fresco sim.

Saturday 21 March 2009

Genesis- Sebastião Salgado

I am, like loads of other people, fascinated by the talent and efforts towards a better world of Sebastião Salgado.I learnt about him from my brother Eduardo and I convinced my brother Claudio to purchase and exhibit at my family's school Exodus, A set of 60 photgraphs taken in various parts of the world dealing with social issues.
He works now on Genesis. He finds himself now at Zoé tribe and I hope I sahll bump on him sooner or later. Good Luck and Thanks Sebastião.

PROCURA-SE(VIVO MAIS QUE NUNCA)!!!



I conceive this project as a potential path towards humanity's rediscovery of itself in nature. I have named it Genesis because, as far as possible, I want to return to the beginnings of our planet: to the air, water and fire that gave birth to life; to the animal species that have resisted domestication and are still "wild"; to the remote tribes whose "primitive" way of life is largely untouched; and to surviving examples of the earliest forms of human settlement and organisation. This voyage represents a form of planetary anthropology. Yet it is also designed to propose that this uncontaminated world must be preserved and, where possible, be expanded so that development is not automatically commensurate with destruction.


Les Enfants de l'Exode, Editions de La Martinière, France 2000.
Retratos de Criancas do Exodo, Ed. Caminho, Portugal, 2000.
Kinder, Zweitausendeins, Germany, 2000.
Ritratti , Contrasto/Leonardo Arte, Italy, 2000.
The Children, Aperture, USA, 2000.
Retratos de Criancas do Exodo, Companhia das Letras, Brazil, 2000.
Retratos, Fundacion Retevision, Spain, 2000

Malpensa, La città del volo, SEA Aeroporti di Milano, Italy, 2000.


Um Fotógrafo em Abril, Ed. Caminho, Portugal, 1999.

Serra Pelada, Photo Poche Societé, Editions Nathan, France, 1999.
Exodes, Editions de La Martinière, France 2000.
Exodos, Ed. Caminho, Portugal, 2000.
Migranten, Zweitausendeins, Germany, 2000.
In Cammino , Contrasto/Leonardo Arte, Italy, 2000.
Migrations, Aperture, USA, 2000.
Exodos, Companhia das Letras, Brazil, 2000.
Exodos, Fundacion Retevision, Spain, 2000



An Uncertain Grace, Aperture, USA, 1990
An Uncertain Grace, Thames and Hudson, England, 1990
An Uncertain Grace, SGM, Sygma Union, Japan, 1990.
Une Certaine Grâce, Nathan, France, 1990.
Um Incerto Estado de Graca, Editorial Caminho, Portugal, 1995

The Best Photos/ As Melhores Fotos, Sebastião Salgado, Boccato Editores, Brazil 1992

Photopoche, Sebastião Salgado, n°55 Ed. Centre National de la Photographie, France, 1993.

Tapajos River

Sta Lucia Woods



www.bosque-santa.blogspot.com

Thursday 12 March 2009

Great tour awesome buddies. Thx Marco 4 da pix














Cruiseship in Santarem...yesterday